Experience the Unexpected

While Perkins Wildlife Center & Woods Garden has been a favorite of Museum visitors for more than four decades, the all-new Perkins is a fully immersive, natural environment that brings you closer to native Ohio plants and animals than ever before. Take a walk below the waterline as you stroll into a wetlands community teeming with fish, turtles, and frogs. Peer directly into the aquatic world of playful North American river otters. Hear the chorus of songbirds flying all around you.

Soar to New Heights

A highlight of the new Perkins is a winding elevated walkway that places you in the canopy of beech and oak trees. Track a pack of coyotes roaming the forest floor below, get a bird’s-eye view of a porcupine in its perch, or come nose to beak with peregrine falcons. Learn more about how everything in nature is connected—from the treetops to below the soil—as you stroll through the beautiful foliage in the heart of Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood.

Find a New Perspective

Get a sense of your place in the natural world while experiencing stunning views of wildlife and cityscape alike. Gain a new appreciation for the agility of bobcats and gray foxes as they traverse directly overhead in trailways curving their way throughout the brush and trees. Get a glimpse into a red fox’s den or a bald eagle’s nest. Gaze up at towering oaks and down at minutely detailed wildflowers. Catch unique views of Cleveland’s skyline and the surrounding University Circle neighborhood as you take in all the amazing sights of the new Perkins.

Show Your True Colors

The animals that call Perkins home find themselves in the comfort of their natural surroundings, including thousands of native Ohio plants—many rare or endangered. Travel seamlessly among five distinct ecological communities, each boasting a diverse array of beautiful and colorful plant life: from rich forests to shrub swamps, wild woods gardens to vibrant wetlands. Learn about the importance of balance and harmony between flora and fauna and how you can help the Museum in its mission to protect these wonderful yet fragile ecosystems.